Psycho Donuts to Open with a "Fun Mental Institution" Theme

From Mercury News (3/16/09):

Masha Zavarskaya,left Jordan Sweigoron(co-owner), Kipp Berdianski(co-owner), and store manager, Gregory Lim of Psycho donuts in Campbell.

Psycho Donuts in Campbell is a wild and crazy place

By Chris Vongsarath

Somewhere between classic Americana and completely insane lies the idea behind the newest doughnut shop in Campbell...

...Open for just a couple of weeks with little fanfare, the modest shop at 2006 S. Winchester Blvd. has brought a new twist to a classic treat. And it's not just the whacked-out delicacies that Psycho Donuts brass want to offer, but also an atmosphere just as crazy to go with it...

...In addition to carrying the classic doughnuts, the shop also offers nuttier creations such as the Massive Brain Trauma, a jelly-filled doughnut decorated with the face of a guy who looks like he's had better days and the Psycho, a pretzel-covered doughnut with a taste of "sweet, sour and spicy," Zweigoron said...

...The shop is an attraction in itself. Zweigoron and co-owner Kipp Berdiansky, both in the tech industry, went all out decorating the place to fit their lighthearted insane asylum theme.

In one corner is a padded cell that has become a favorite place for kids to take photos while wearing a straitjacket. The "group therapy" area sits under a flat-screen TV playing short films about doughnuts. And all over the walls is artwork for sale, created by Bay Area artists such as Christine Benjamin and Nicolas Caesar.

The employees are also decked out in lab coats and nurse outfits...

>>>For the Full Article

Comment Below: I usually try and remain objective and let you, the Readers, do the commentary, but I find this absolutely appalling.  We still have miles to go in changing attitudes in this country. There is nothing "fun" or "lighthearted" about straitjackets and institutions, and someone who "looks like he's had better days" decorating the Massive Brain Trauma is a fantastic way to reinforce negative stereotyping.  Am I overreacting? How can we take these (admittedly unintended) offenses and make them "teachable moments?"

Comments

[kipp]

I'm sorry that you feel this way. We really don't mean to offend~

We're just trying to create a fun atmosphere where families can get a funky donut and get a little chuckle.

We welcome everyone, and if you want to come see for yourself, you be the judge.

Take care,

Kipp (co-owner of Psycho Donuts)

[Cathy]

I'm stunned. If the donuts are that good, they should sell without having to make anyone on medications (which is a lot of folks) or anyone who knows someone on medications (which is even more folks) or anyone who is related to someone with a mental illness (which is everyone else) feel degraded and assaulted. You're not overreacting. I'm always stunned at how little people react to the need to treat mental illness as a true human problem, not an opportunity for mean-spirited comedy.

[Paul Yochum]

It does sound insensitive and they probably never had a clue, i.e. as to sensitivity on disability issues. Sometimes it takes real life happenings to create this sensitivity about disability issues. I think that JFA is doing what they need to do to make this a learning situation. Who frequents places like this anyway?

Paul

[Melissa]

Coming from a background in which most of my family, including myself,has expereinced some form of mental illness, I have to say that I still DO NOT find this offensive.
I think that to chide this store for their theme is politically correct to the point of being censorship.
If you don't like it, then don't shop there. Let us focus on the bigger issues.

[virgil@dacnw.org]

I work in a Independent living center and have been diagnosed with having Bi-polar. I have a way of looking at things with a sense of humor. I feel that we should be more open to things. We work very hard to educate people in our community with stereo typing people with all types of disabilities. I feel that this is a great way to open up a dialog to discuss the pros and cons of such business. Their will always be people that find this to be very bad but I feel that it may be a way for all of us to have a better understanding and maybe look at the lighter side of things. I am hopeful that people will see this business as just that a business that is not trying to hurt people but have a lighter way of looking at such labels.

[Lynn]

It doesn't matter what the businesses intent was, it's the impact of their actions that will be felt by people with mental illness. If you're part of a particular group, you can sometimes use this kind of language and these types of images to poke fun at your own situation. When you're not part of that group, and you capitalise on lables and images that carry significant stereotypes in our society, you also bear the responsibility for the resulting colateral damage that using these words and images will bring. Children don't have the ability to sort out what is satire and what is serious. Hopefully, the children that play in the area that looks like a padded cell won't take that experience back to school and use it to marginalise a classmate who acts differently than they do. Using humor to make people laugh is a good thing, when it isn't at someone elses expense.

[Dennis]

Would those of you saying that a little humor is ok feel the same way if the theme of the donut shop was one of a slave plantation?

[mark p.s.2]

As someone who has experienced a bit of the horror of psychiatry, I don't see Psycho Donuts as funny . Psychiatric patients today in 2009 are still being tortured. Patients with less rights than a criminal. Ray Sandford is being forcably ECT'ed as an example.

[Sherrie F. Eugene, Oregon]

Small businesses have to find creative ways in order to make it. I think it looks like a light hearted, creative and fun place to go. I think we need to leave the little guys alone. Trust me, it is just causing more unspoken resentments and socially accepted challenges for us who do have such disabilities to have to deal with.
I never would have known about this donut shop without this advertisement!

[Dave]

I am very disapointed, shocked, and offended that the co-owner of this shop feels he is providing a place for families to come and "get a chuckle". When people are made aware of their ignorance and continue to promote it there is no reaching them. Perhaps if everyone who read this blog wrote them a letter they would realize they are not offending one or two people, but the entire disability community who eats a lot of doughnuts. ( I am speaking for myself there) Write these moorons at 2006 S. Winchester Blvd. Campbell, California 95008-3400 and tell them Dave sent you.

[Jackie]

Perhaps the owner of this shop would like to experience a stay at a mental health hospital. I just went through this experience with my newly diagnosed, possibly depressed, possibly bi-polar daughter. Sorry to see that the treatment you receive hasn't changed much in 30 years. There wasn't anything "funny" about it. As my daughter said to her counselor after her release, "You are at your lowest point, maybe in your whole life and they treat you like a criminal, a prisoner."
Psyco doughnuts is in very "poor taste"!

[Adele]

Nothing funny about this. It's not a matter of being politically incorrect - it's a matter of being totally insensitive. I would never go to this place and would not even want to get close to it. No matter what (and the owners may not recognize their insensitivity), making fun of any group - even unintentionally, is not light-hearted and fun.

[Really?]

Okay, so i agree that yes, the entire point of the IL movement is to break down attitudinal barriers and create civil rights for all.... including people with disabilities: But I think there comes a point when we get so caught up in who is being politically correct and who isn't that we make it impossible for people to approach us. What happened to being treated equal? Guess what guys- You heard of the show Queer Eye for the straight guy?
Have you ever seen the SNL spoofs on Ebonics? Have you heard a blonde joke? What about commercials that play on the fact that men don't ask for directions.
And to Lynn, I hate to say it: but wow what a double standard you have set. "if you are part of a particular group you can sometimes use this language to poke fun at your situation." So I can call myself crazy and joke about how I had an episode yesterday big enough to send me to the straight jacket, but Psycho donuts can't have a donut shop that doesn't single a person out specifically? Don't you think that a self on self crime of me using that language to poke fun at myself is worse? I certainly do. If a group of people can say it about themselves then I say that any group can use that language. Lets get back to the real issues here. Instead of being angry and trying to shut down some shop that isn't even making that much monet. I like the idea of Virgil, why don't we use this as an opportunity to educate.

[Kristi Goldsberry]

I had 4 stays at mental hospitals (1 month each) over a 10 year period. I can assure you they weren't much fun. I would avoid this place like the plague!

[Kipp--Psycho Donuts owner.]

Why do you not post all of the comments?

There are tons of people who are trying to post other thoughts and you are filtering it all out

You are totally biased!

(JFA Moderator Note: Mr. Berdianski, we have strict guidelines regarding what comments are unpublished. To the contrary we encourage lively discussion and disagreement. The comments posted here are, in fact, an authentic representation of what our community thinks and feels.)

[Ruth]

It's obvious that mental illness is not given the same consideration as other illnesses, such as Parkinson's Disease or Multiple Sclerosis. I think if a shop that sold donuts making light of those illnesses emerged it would immediately be crucified. Mental illness can ruin lives and lead to premature death. I agree that this "theme" is in very poor taste.

[Steve J]

Psycho Donuts is totally offensive.

We at Kill All Retards Transmission Repair here in Paramus NJ we are totally against this horrible treatment of donuts.

Please shut down this activity right away!

[Melissa]

I posted a comment about this last week. After being posted for several days, my comment has now been removed.
I can only assume that my comment was removed because it was not in agreement with the other comments posted here. Are you CENSORING your reader's opinions?
If so, then please let me know so that I may take my name off of your mailing list.

[Melissa]

I offer my sincere apologies - my comment was there after all!

[E Teller]

What's not explored much is that the donuts themselves are actually unique. The owners could be selling their elaborate pastries without offending others over such backward and insensitive themes.

Instead, this is what they came up with. They knew that the controversy would get them tons of free publicity. It's too bad they don't have more confidence in their expensive pastries as a stand-alone product.

So not only are they insensitive, they're also using us. Their psycho theme and the gimmick of disability is exploitative, and should be ditched.

We don't need to be used in their pursuit of profit.

http://baydisability.blogspot.com/2009/04/psycho-donut-shop-mocks-disability-for.html